


ways to go

by happilyy



Series: BAMF!Magnus [1]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Angst, Hurt Alec, M/M, Protective Magnus, clizzy are badass, everyone lives its okay, fluff at the end, magnus kinda goes apeshit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-01
Updated: 2016-05-01
Packaged: 2018-06-05 15:00:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6709633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/happilyy/pseuds/happilyy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alec looked up, his eyes filled with agony and met Magnus’ gaze.</p><p>One word flitted through his mind: No.</p><p>How dare they try and take his Shadowhunter away from him. How dare they stand there and smile as he was dying on the floor. How dare they even for one minute doubt that Magnus wouldn’t destroy all of them with the flick of his wrist.</p><p>-</p><p>Or: based on the tumblr post "someone please write a fanfic where alec gets hurt and magnus unleashes the full spectrum of his power and just decimates everyone in his path with the flick of a wrist"</p>
            </blockquote>





	ways to go

**Author's Note:**

> hello! this work is based on this tumblr post (http://magsbanes.tumblr.com/post/143533462042) anyone that knows me knows that my favorite trope is when character A gets hurt and character B loses their shit because of it. so, here we go.
> 
> a few notes: this takes place a few months after 1x13, you decide how many. there's a mention of magnus' katana in here which i touched on in my other work "shot my baby down" (my head canon is magnus knows how to use multiple weapons). there is also graphic depictions of violence so be forewarned. lastly, i do not know how to really write fight scenes so lets hope this one's okay.
> 
> also there's a small part from the books about magnus' lineage (spoiler????)
> 
> cantik means beautiful in indonesian btw. 
> 
> not betaed so all mistakes are mine! 
> 
> enjoy!

The day began as normal as possible, considering the state of their world at the moment.

Valentine’s forces had been multiplying steadily since the night of the wedding months ago. Demons were popping up around the city in droves, every Shadowhunter on hand being called out at all hours of the night.

Jace was still nowhere to be found. Alec, Isabelle, and Clary had practically dedicated their lives as of late to finding the other boy. It was obvious in the heavy bags under their eyes and the fatigue that seemed to be a permanent presence that it was taking a heavy toll on all of them.

Often times Magnus would catch Alec rubbing the parabatai bond through his shirt. He seemed to be doing it subconsciously, and the warlock felt pity for the other boy having to go through something as hard as knowing your parabatai was alive but not wanting to be found.

Magnus had been working himself to exhaustion more days than not. The Institute was constantly calling him over to fix their wards or just keep them maintained. The number one concern was with keeping the Institute secure, and that meant overworking their “pet warlock.” Quite a few times, Isabelle and Alec had also asked for his assistance in training Clary, though Magnus suspected that the latter found comfort in his presence more than needing his help.

Since the wedding, Alec and Magnus had gone on a few dates, not having time for much more. It had taken a significant amount of time for Alec to be fully relaxed with the warlock. It wasn’t that Magnus made him uncomfortable; Alec just had a hard time believing that for once he was allowed to be selfish, allowed to want something for himself. He had spent the whole of his life giving up his own desires to cater to the needs of the ones around him. It was a foreign concept, allowing his own desires to linger and to actually act on them.

The day that Alec grabbed his hand casually as they were walking through the halls of the Institute, without flinching, was quite possibly one of the best days that Magnus had experienced in over a hundred years. At least, the best after the wedding.

The Lightwood parents had continued to give Alec the cold shoulder, particularly Maryse. She acted as if Magnus did not even exist in the scope of her world, instead choosing to believe that her son was still the closeted and unhappy solider she had raised his entire life. The only times she addressed Magnus were for work related matters, and Alec continued to be disheartened from his parents behavior.

Magnus did his best to distract the young Shadowhunter from the matter. Everyone was already highly strung; it wasn’t the time to be dealing with ignorant and prejudiced individuals.

Speaking of such characters, Maryse had called Magnus over yet again to strengthen the wards for the third time that week. Magnus took a deep breath, waving his hands in front of the large expanse of wall. The magic was flowing freely from his palms, the air sparking with electricity and unbridled warmth. The blue sparks caused errant shivers to run down his spine, only a lick at the surface of his true power.

The warlock had no clue as to why the Shadowhunter had called him multiple times that week to strengthen the already stable wards. He was the High Warlock of Brooklyn, making him one of the most powerful beings in the city. There was no reason to doubt his skills. Instead, Magnus continued to grin and bare it, only wanting to try and stay the least bit civil with the mother of his affections.

Of course, Magnus had never truly unleashed the full extent of his magic in front of others for about a century. There was no reason to. Being a child of Asmodeus allowed him to possess far greater capabilities than most of the warlocks he had come across during his time alive. Thus, Magnus had found no reason to let anyone know about the true potential and extent his magic could stretch should the situation ever go south.

Although, he had a feeling the ever-looming war would give him time to show off the real capacity of his powers.

“That will be all, Warlock Bane,” Maryse’s callous tone shook him out of his musings. He suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. Honestly, the woman couldn’t even call him by his first name, how did he expect her to ever approve of his relationship with her son?

He brushed his coat off and aimed a fake smile her way with a flourish of his fingers. “I think I’ll go and find Alexander now.” And with that he turned down the hallway and strode elegantly toward the training room, not sticking around to be insulted.

He found Alec in mid-combat with Clary when he entered the vast room. They both gripped their staffs tightly, a generous amount of sweat dotted across their foreheads. It was obvious that Alec was doing better, though Clary seemed to be improving from the last time Magnus oversaw a training session.

“Magnus!” Isabelle cried from the corner where she was observing the scuffle with a bored look on her face. At the sound of his name, Alec faltered and Clary took that moment to swipe her staff at Alec’s legs. The archer was taken off guard and promptly fell flat to the ground.

Clary stood above him, a radiant smile gracing her lips. Magnus’ heart warmed at the expression. The young girl had not taken Jace’s disappearance well and was almost as prone to blaming herself as Alec was. It had been a good while since she had looked so relaxed and triumphant.

“Darling, am I really that distracting?” Magnus questioned as he held a hand out towards his boyfriend. Alec’s cheeks flushed a brilliant red and he huffed embarrassedly before grasping the hand that was proffered for him. Magnus helped him up and then tugged him closer, leaning up on his tiptoes to press a soft kiss to the Shadowhunter’s cheek.

Alec’s blush increased as Clary and Isabelle cooed. “What are you doing here?”

Magnus rolled his eyes at the reminder. “Your darling mother called me over to stabilize the wards yet again. Honestly, it’s a little insulting that she thinks my magic cannot hold for a measly two days.”

Alec winced at the mention of his mother, sending an apologetic glance towards Magnus. The older man just shrugged, as if to say “what can you do” and snaked an arm around the archer’s waist. Instead of shrugging him off, Alec smiled and threw an arm around his shoulders.

While Alec was still wary about public displays of affection in the confines of the Institute, their only audience was his sister and Clary. He had nothing to worry about in front of the two girls and gave into the urge to be close to the warlock.

Isabelle huffed and crossed her arms as she stood and walked towards the other three. “While this is very cute,” she said with a gesture towards Alec and Magnus, “I am bored and would like to actually train. You want to, Magnus?”

A wicked grin stretched across his lips and he leaned further into Alec’s side as he appraised his potential opponent. “What are you up for today, cantik?”

Isabelle beamed at the nickname and allowed her whip to slip down her arm. “No magic, I want to break a sweat.”

Magnus stepped out of Alec’s hold and smirked. He snapped his fingers and the katana he wielded when his magic was of no use appeared in his grasp.

“As you wish.”

The next few hours were spent sparring. The session between Isabelle and Magnus had gone on longer than the warlock expected, the young Shadowhunter improving from the last time he had practiced with her. Alec had seemed very interested in observing the exchange, though Magnus suspected he enjoyed watching him break a sweat.

After about half an hour, the siblings and Magnus moved on to training Clary. While she was improving every day, she still had a long way to go and needed constant practice if she had a hope of battling alongside her friends in the upcoming war.

“Okay, okay,” Clary panted after the third time Magnus had knocked her on her ass in the past fifteen minutes. “I think that’s enough for today.”

Magnus was inclined to agree when a cold feeling crawled through his spine and made him instantly tense. “Magnus?” Alec shot up from his spot next to Izzy on the ground.

Something wasn’t right. Something was very, very wrong.

“Something’s wrong,” he whispered, closing his eyes briefly to try and rid himself of the foreboding feeling that was taking root in his stomach. He could sense Alec and the girls instantly go on high alert.

He stumbled slightly, Alec grabbing hold of his forearm as another wave of dread settled around him. “Alexander,” he choked out, looking up at the man in question. “Your bow. You need to get your bow right now,” he bit out, wrapping his hand around his wrist and tugging slightly.

Alec didn’t ask questions, although Magnus could see different scenarios flashing through his mind. The younger boy set off towards the weapon room and kept a tight hold on Magnus’ wrist, the girls hot on their heels.

“What’s going on?” Isabelle demanded as they entered the weapon room. Alec wasted no time in strapping the bow and quiver to his back, grabbing a seraph blade for good measure. The girls followed suit and stocked up on extra weapons, not taking kindly to the way Magnus was acting.

Magnus closed his eyes again and tapped into his defenses set up around the Institute. He gasped when he found the preliminary wards that surrounded the Institute were practically gone. There was no time to fix them now. “Something is approaching,” he bit out harshly, leveling them all with a serious look. “I don’t know what or how, but some of my wards are gone. This was a planned attack.” He decided to leave out the fact that only another powerful warlock could successfully render his wards useless. It would do nothing to have the Shadowhunters panic over the possibility of Downworlders joining Valentine’s army.

For the first time that night, Isabelle looked scared as she grasped Clary’s arm. “We’re not ready,” she breathed out, looking back and forth between the three of them.

Alec’s expression was hard, a storm cloud seemingly set in place for the time being. “There’s no other choice, Izzy.” His tone was that of a soldier, long accustomed to the constant feeling of having to go into battle.

They set off towards the main room, where a majority of the Shadowhunters were already preparing for the incoming battle. The feeling of their enemie’s presence was growing by the second and Magnus feared what was to come. There wasn’t enough time to prevent this from happening, so all they could do was get ready.

A loud screech and the sound of a large crash broke through the heady silence of the Institute. Instantly, a number of the older Shadowhunters ran towards the entrance, weapons at the ready.

A feeling of desperation overcame Magnus, knowing that this could quite possibly end horribly. “Alexander,” he gasped out as he reached for the other boy. “I will try and protect you, but _please_ , be careful,” he pleaded, realizing that this was the first time that Alec had ever seen him so out of control.

“Magnus-“

Magnus cut his protest off by tugging him down for a quick and hard kiss. “Please,” he whispered in the space between their lips, the sounds of fighting far too close to them already.

Magnus wasn’t ready for Alec to go into battle, wasn’t ever ready. He dreaded letting him go on standard missions every night, the possibility of what could happen always lingering in the back of his mind. But this was completely different. Tonight would be unpredictable, and they were already missing Jace, so it was up to Magnus to protect his Shadowhunter.

Alec bit his lip briefly before nodding and giving Magnus’ hand a brief squeeze. “Okay.”

With that, Alec withdrew his bow and nocked an arrow as the first of the demons crashed into the Institute.

They were so many of them and they were everywhere. It had been a long time since Magnus had seen so many demons gathered together in one place. There was no way the attack was a coincidence, it was planned purposely and was designed to have a horrible outcome.

Magnus wasn’t going down without a fight.

The battle raged on, fast and hard. Shadowhunters littered the hall with demons coming from every possible entrance. The air was thick with the smell of ichor and heavy with the sounds of blades whirling through the air. Magnus himself was standing at the top of the stairs, steadily aiming his magic towards the demons that were trying to catch some of the Nephilim off guard.

Magnus continued to refill Alec’s quiver with arrows whenever he began to run low. The younger boy was alternating between using his seraph blade in close combat with some of the demons that got too close and shooting his arrows at the creatures that were further away. Magnus couldn’t help but think he was gorgeous, even covered in demon guts.

Out of the corner of his eye, Magnus watched Clary slash through a demon who had been going for Isabelle’s back. He continued to observe the two as they fought together, watching out for the other. The way they fought was graceful but viscous at the same time, making a perfect dance around each other. Magnus thought they would make great parabatai.

“Magnus!”

The warlock glanced behind him to find an arrow imbedding itself in the chest of a demon only feet away. He turned to find Alec running towards him, a stricken expression making its way onto his face. “You know,” he shouted as they fought together, Magnus yielding his magic, Alec his bow. “I expected this ‘be careful’ agreement to go both ways!”

Magnus chuckled as blue sparks crawled up a demon’s back before it erupted into flames. “Sorry, darling!” he called behind him, feeling Alec’s presence once again leave his side as he dashed down the stairs.

The battle continued to rage on for quite some time, though it was obvious the Shadowhunters were gaining the upper hand. The demons streaming in through the entrance were growing slow and the Institute’s casualties were still only in the single digits.

Magnus had seen Maryse and her husband in the thick of it, their faces hard set and drenched in sweat. He almost began to make a snide comment to himself when it happened.

“ _Alec!_ ”

The scream belonged to Isabelle and Magnus’ heart dropped to his stomach when he whirled around to observe the scene.

Time seemed to stand still as Magnus gaped. There Alec was, in the throng of Shadowhunters and demons, with a seraph blade protruding from his stomach. A Nephilim that Magnus couldn’t put a name to stood behind him, the blade held in his grip and a wicked smile spread across his face. Magnus could just make out the rune on his neck that indicated his Circle membership.

In the next moment, Alec fell to the ground as the Shadowhunter shoved him off the blade. Alec was gasping, his shaky hands frantically pushing down on his own stomach and blood continuously poured out of the gaping wound. The Shadowhunter continued to look on with a smile as the demons began to converge around the archer.

Alec looked up, his eyes filled with agony and met Magnus’ gaze.

One word flitted through his mind: _No_.

How dare they try and take his Shadowhunter away from him. How dare they stand there and smile as he was dying on the floor. How dare they even for one minute doubt that Magnus wouldn’t destroy all of them with the flick of his wrist.

In the span of a second, Magnus felt the power well inside of him, a dam breaking open at his enraged thoughts. The magic licked at his veins, a fire engulfing him from the inside out as the flow of magic increased till all Magnus could hear was a roaring in his ears. It had been building inside of him for over more than a century; the power feeling like it had never before.

Magnus looked up at the Circle member and sent one last glare before he flicked his wrist and everything exploded.

The room shook and seemed to light up as a wave of raw power shot from somewhere deep inside Magnus. All the demons in the room abruptly burst into blue flame, their screeches echoing in his ears like music. He smiled as he watched each of them quickly disintegrate. Distantly, he was aware of the hallways branching off from the room and some corners looking as if a bomb had passed through, rubble and wood splinters all that were left.

Everyone that was standing found themselves laying flat on the ground. Magnus couldn’t tell if they were unconscious or not, nor did he spare anytime to care. The Circle member was the only one still upright, and the terror shone out through his eyes as Magnus floated down the stairs towards him. As he turned to run, Magnus flicked his wrist again and suddenly he was floating in midair, scrabbling desperately at his throat as he made feeble choking and wheezing noises.

“Feels nice, doesn’t it?” he asked with false cheer in his voice as he reached the Shadowhunter. “To catch someone off guard.”

The man made a pained noise in his throat as Magnus continued to appraise him. Then, he shrugged, as if this was an everyday occurrence and thrust his palm out. The man suddenly went flying against the far wall, blood splattering as he slumped down and went quiet.

A pained moan brought Magnus to his senses, the power surge abruptly dying as he whirled to find Alec still in the middle of the floor, blood rapidly soaking through his shirt and pooling around him.

“Alexander,” he sobbed as he crashed down onto his knees beside the Shadowhunter. He looked up confusedly at Magnus before his eyes slipped shut and he slumped back against the ground. “No, no, no, angel, _please_ ,” he begged.

His hands were shaking uncontrollably as he searched for a pulse and exhaled in relief as he found it. Weak and sluggish, but still there. He glanced up to find Isabelle and Clary standing further away, horror struck expressions on their faces and terror clouding their eyes as they gazed at the warlock.

“What are you doing?” he screeched, sure he looked insane. “Help me!” he shouted again, not even sure what he needed help with in the first place.

The girls rushed over and dropped down on the other side of Alec, immediately pulling out their steles and activating his iratze. Isabelle quickly drew the amissio rune to try and stem the blood flow as Magnus prepared himself, despite feeling absolutely drained.

He rolled up his already blood stained sleeves and set his hands against the open wound. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath before feeling his power spark again and pushing.

It took a while for his magic to begin knitting muscle and bone back together. It worked slower than it would usually, Magnus feeling as if his life force was being drained rapidly. But still, he continued to concentrate, giving Alexander everything he had.

Finally, after what seemed like days, hours, months, Magnus slumped back, his hands falling from Alec’s newly healed abdomen.

He had a second to glance up at Clary and Isabelle with a tired smile before everything went black.

* * *

“No!”

He shot up with a gasp, the air being ripped from his throat as his heart raced a mile a minute.

Images of what had happened flitted through his mind. Hordes of demons flooding the Institute. Isabelle and Clary fighting side by side. Shadowhunters and demons alike clashing with fervor. Alec falling to the ground, a seraph blade in his stomach. Alec covered in blood hanging limply in his arms. Alec. _Alec_.

He opened his mouth to scream his boyfriend’s name when a hand snatched his wrist and pulled him against a warm and muscled chest.

He gasped, the air being punched out of him as quickly as it had returned. He began to struggle out of the hold because Alec needed him, he was dying, _he needed him_ -

“Magnus! Magnus, calm down. Shhh I’m here, I’m alright! Baby, please,” the voice was frantic and Magnus glanced up to meet pained hazel eyes.

Relief coursed through him at the sight of the young Nephilim boy. He was okay. He was alive. His healing had worked and they were all okay.

“You’re alright,” he croaked out, bringing a hand up to run across the boy’s cheek to make sure he was real.

Alec chuckled as tears welled up in his eyes. “I’m absolutely fine,” he spoke quietly. “You saved my life.” Magnus just shook his head, no words coming to him at the moment. He took a deep breath and buried his head in Alec’s shoulder, his arms gripping him for dear life.

The room was silent for a matter of moments before there was a soft knocking. Magnus peeked around Alec’s arms to find Isabelle and Clary warily shuffling inside the doorway. It was only then that he realized they were in Alec’s room.

“Magnus,” Clary breathed and rushed over. She hesitated when she reached him, but ultimately settled a hand on his shoulder. “Are you yourself again?” she questioned softly.

He cocked his head, still a little disoriented and confused. “What do you mean, biscuit?”

It was Isabelle who spoke up. “Magnus,” she said with apprehension and a touch of wonder in her tone. “We didn’t know what came over you. It was like you were possessed, I’ve never seen you so angry.”

Flashes of the memories they were addressing came rushing forward. He groaned quietly and buried his face in Alec’s shoulder again. “I may have unleashed the full extent of my power,” he whispered into the fabric of Alec’s shirt.

The room was silent. He glanced up to meet the awed expressions of the three Shadowhunters, all looking increasingly astonished.

“All for me?”

Magnus turned incredulously towards Alec, suddenly annoyed at the Shadowhunter’s inability to even begin to brush the scope of the warlock’s feelings for him. “Of course for you, stupid Nephilim! I love you!”

Magnus almost clapped a hand over his mouth when he realized what he had said. Alec’s mouth was hanging open and Clary looked shocked. Isabelle just looked giddy and about a second away from screeching.

Alec quickly recovered and shot a glance towards Clary who subtly nodded and dragged his sister out of the room. The door closed with a resounding slam and Magnus felt suffocated by how quiet it was.

He knew it was too soon to say those words. He knew it, yet he couldn’t help but feel as if they were absolutely true. Magnus had loved Alec since the moment he first laid eyes on him under the flashing lights of the club. Alec had almost died and he couldn’t go a second longer without telling him how much he meant to the older man, even if it meant those feelings weren’t reciprocated.

“I love you, too.”

Magnus could do nothing except gaze in wonder at the other boy. They had only been together for a matter of months, yet Magnus felt as if the time they had shared was already the most important moments of his immortal life.

“Alexander,” he breathed out, tone wrought with awe. Magnus gave into his urges and tugged the archer close, crashing their lips together. It was soft and brief, as Magnus was still thoroughly drained from all his magic use.

They pulled back and rested their foreheads together for a bit. It was silent except for their quiet breathing and thundering heartbeats.

“I’d do it again,” Magnus said, a small smile in place. “I’d do it a million times over for you.”

Alec smiled back and dropped a kiss on his forehead as his eyes began to drift shut. “I would do the same. The protecting thing goes both ways, remember?” The older man just chuckled and cuddled closer to the Shadowhunter.

A war was starting, but Magnus knew he’d be fine as long as Alec was at his side.

**Author's Note:**

> i hope the ending wasn't too rushed! i thoroughly enjoyed writing this so i hope you all liked it!
> 
> comments/kudos are much appreciated.
> 
> you can follow me on tumblr at livhtwoods where i post writing stuff and fangirl over the sh cast.


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